EX-EAGLES COACH DICK VERMEIL, WINEMAKER

This is what former athletes, celebrities and coaches do when they retire. They head out to Napa and start crushing grapes. In fairness to Coach Vermeil, he actually was born and raised in the Napa Valley and wine has been a part of his family forever.

Anyway, he will be in the Philly area this coming Friday, February 5th and will be signing bottles of his wine. You can visit his website VERMEILWINES.COM to learn more about the selections available. His premier wine is the Jean Louis Vermeil Cabernet Sauvignon, named after his great-grandfather. Here is a Robert Parker review of that wine.

2002 Jean Louis Vermeil Cabernet Sauvignon $69.95

SKU #103663293 points Robert Parker: “The 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Frediani Vineyard is stunning. Its inky/ruby/purple hue is accompanied by beautiful, pure aromas of creme de cassis, subtle wood, smoke, and licorice. Sensationally well-endowed, opulent, and voluptuous, with a 40+ second finish, this lovely Cabernet should drink beautifully for 15 or more years. This is the personal wine project of the Super Bowl-winning, renowned NFL head coach, Dick Vermeil. Vermeil’s family has French origins, having moved to San Francisco in the late 1800s, and Vermeil was raised in Napa Valley. His initial dive into the wine world is impressive. It goes against the rule-of-thumb that celebrities rarely achieve anything special in the world of wine.” 93PTS (12/07).

Editor’s Note: (Rumor has it that Parker originally gave the wine 87 points but on hearing the score, Vermeil began to cry and Parker changed it to 93.) Yes, I’m joking.

So, you can see that the wine isn’t cheap but it’s surprisingly good. I might be tempted to pick up a bottle at the signing next Friday. See you there!!